QFES Volunteerism Strategy Discussion Paper : 2017

Challenges facing traditional volunteerism

Emergency service volunteers are a key component in the provision of emergency services and building community capability and resilience in Queensland. However, challenges to traditional models of volunteerism, encompassed in societal and environmental changes, will significantly impact ongoing and future emergency service delivery. The prevalence of severe weather and fire events is predicted to rise in Queensland. This is due to the effects of climate change as well as increased risks posed from man-made activities including changes to land management and use through to the potential threat of terrorism. Add to this the changing trends in traditional models of volunteerism, which include an ageing population, people becoming increasingly time-poor, competing priorities, digital disruptions, less attraction to long-term commitments to volunteerism and economic conditions that cause people to move away from their communities for work, means risks to providing an ongoing and sustainable emergency volunteer service are increased. These challenges are also accompanied by the time and effort to maintain skills and competencies of volunteers as well as barriers to training and opportunities for volunteers. Historically, the SES and RFS developed on a community’s notion of self-reliance and responding to local community needs which has led to a disconnect between capability and community risk. Factoring how emergency service organisations can sustainably support the community’s growing needs within their resource model is often exacerbated by the increased expectation of response, support and ongoing service delivery from the broader community. These issues, accompanied by challenges to traditional volunteerism, have highlighted the need for organisations to explore and invest in more flexible models of volunteerism if they are to rise to meet further challenges.

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olunteerism Strategy Discussion Paper : 2017

Queensland Fire and Emergency Services